CALL FOR PROPOSALS

October 3, 2007

NOAA’S National Marine Sanctuary Program (NMSP) invites applicants to request shiptime aboard the

67ft Research Vessel Fulmar for calendar year 2008. The vessel serves the Monterey Bay, Gulf of the

Farallones and Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuaries, and is homeported in Monterey Harbor. All

persons or groups interested in time aboard R/V Fulmar must submit request for vessel support via an

online system called “Fulmar Vessel Project Manager” which can be found at:

http://sanctuarymonitoring.org/vpt/index.php.

Attached are instructions for first time users. All entries must be submitted by Friday, November 9,

2007. Timely submission will ensure full consideration of your request.

As part of this request for proposal process, we anticipate being able to allocate up to 40 days total for

projects in calendar year 2008,. Given the limited number of days, we must assign priority to those

projects that most closely match the following Draft Joint Management Plan requirements. In particular,

our research efforts will focus on the following areas:

• Monterey Bay NMS: Monitoring and characterization related to marine protected areas.

R/V Fulmar Contact: Jean.deMarignac@noaa.gov

• Gulf of the Farallones NMS: Please see draft management plan for research priorities

R/V Fulmar Contact: Tim.Reed@noaa.gov

• Cordell Bank NMS: Please see draft management plan for research priorities

R/V Fulmar Contact: Michael.Carver@noaa.gov

The data collected during these cruises will help inform management decisions at all three sites and with

state and federal partners. For more information on the plan priorities for each of the three sanctuaries,

please visit the following website: http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/jointplan/drafts/mp.html and click on the

name of the sanctuary of interest.

We will be seeking as many opportunities as possible to invite kindergarten through 12th grade teachers

as well as college/university instructors aboard in support of NOAA’s Teacher at Sea Program

(http://teacheratsea.noaa.gov/index.html) Your willingness to allow teachers to participate directly in your

efforts will be factored into our allocation decisions. In addition, projects that generate materials

supporting NOAA education and outreach efforts will receive a higher priority.

Initial allocation decisions will be made by December 2007, and a draft schedule for calendar year 2008

will follow. All organizations receiving R/V Fulmar shiptime will be required to post summary

information and products on the SIMoN website. Compliance with trip requirements, including timely

submission of cruise plans and summary cruise reports, observance of safe operations, and the appropriate

use of vessel equipment, will be expected and will inform the 2008 selection process. Due to vessel

scheduling issues, cruise days cancelled due to bad weather and mechanical failure cannot be rescheduled.

To date, the NMSP has not incorporated a formal requirement that vessel users pay for their time aboard

sanctuary vessels. The operating budget for the NMSP is not yet approved. If the fiscal year 2008 budget

does not allow us to continue this practice, PI’s will be immediately notified.

If you have any questions about this allocation process, please feel free to contact Karen Grimmer,

Program Operations Coordinator (Karen.Grimmer@noaa.gov). Please direct research project

questions to the corresponding R/V Fulmar contact for your area of interest.

Research Vessel Fulmar

Specifications and Capabilities

General Specifications

Builder: All American Marine; Bellingham, WA

Design: Teknicraft Aluminum Catamaran

Length (overall) 66’ 9”

Beam 24’

Draft 7’

Speed at Cruise Power 22kts @ 70gals per hour

Speed at Full Power 27kts @ 100gals per hour

Max Displacement 49tons

Fuel capacity 2 x 750 gals diesel

Approximate Range at Cruise Power 450 nautical miles

Power 2 x 740 hp MTU S60

Propulsion Fixed pitch propellers, bow thrusters

Electrical 2 x 20Kw Kohler generators

Waste Capacity 250 Gallons, with MSD type II treatment

Fresh Water Capacity 250 Gallons

Watermaker 400gpd with UV treatment

Max Day Scientists 28

Max Overnight Scientists 6

Crew 2 minimum

Deck Equipment

• Markey COM 7H science winch with 2150 meters of .322” electro-mechanical cable

• 2000lb SWL A-Frame with block for .322” cable. Wire-out readout available in lab.

• Morgan Model 330 knuckle boom crane for boat handling and cargo. 1,400lbs at full extension of

14ft. 4,600lbs at close range.

• Horizontal capstan for hauling traps near anchor winch

• Hydraulic “quick-connects” for use with temporary winches and other tools

• Zodiac Mark II 12’6 inflatable with 25hp 4-stroke Honda outboard

• Flying bridge with 7 seats and two benches.

Dive Air System

• Hydraulically operated Nuvair Element Nitrox membrane dive compressor with deck filling

station (9.3 CFM)

• 20 SCUBA bottle holders built-in

Network and Computers

• Cat 6 network drops throughout the vessel. Separate dedicated network for EK60.

• Four computers are currently provided on the vessel

o Pilothouse Computer with Nobletec

o Lab Dell Computer with Nobletec and GNAV

o Lab EK60 Computer

o Seakeepers1000 control computer with SCS

Scientific Equipment

• Simrad EK60 38, 120, 200khz Scientific Fisheries Sounder (expert knowledge required)

• Coda Octopus F-180 precision attitude positioning system (expert knowledge required)

• Trimble DSM 232 Precision GPS

• Seakeepers 1000 Automated Observing System. Includes surface CTD, dissolved Oxygen, PH

and Redox, Air Temp, Barometer, Wind Speed and Direction. Obs info is recorded continuously

and automatically transmitted every hour

• Hydraulic hydrophone deployment system originally designed for the onboard Nautronix ATS II

ultra-short baseline tracking system. Could be use as a moon pool for other instruments up to 13”

in diameter.

• SIMRAD AP-50 autopilot can be controlled from lab

• External mounting pod for multibeam, ADCP or other gear

Communications

• 2 ICOM VHF marine band ship radios

• 3 ICOM VHF marine handheld radios

• 1 VHF aircraft radio (FAA and FCC restrictions on use)

• 1 NERA Fleet 33 INMARSAT

• Digital wireless cell phone booster system

• Internal Intercom System, talkback capable Loudhailer(s)

MEMO

October 3, 2007

TO: R/V Fulmar Shiptime Request Applicants

RE: Vessel Project Manager

The R/V Fulmar is an asset of the National Marine Sanctuary Program (NMSP) West Coast Region that

serves the Cordell Bank, Gulf of the Farallones, and Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuaries. Fulmar

vessel logistics and marine operations are coordinated by staff based in Monterey Bay NMS.

To manage requests for days at sea aboard the Fulmar, the “Vessel Project Manager” (VPM) was

developed by the Sanctuary Integrated Monitoring Network (SIMoN). This centralized data management

system is an operations tool that effectively and efficiently manages all shiptime requests, provides

transparency across sanctuary sites, and automates several management routines.

VPM allows Primary Investigators (PIs) to:

1. Submit project proposals

PIs can:

2. Enter all pre-cruise cruise plan details

3. Enter all post-cruise summaries

4. Submit all other proposed deliverables upon completing the project

The Vessel Project Manager is a centralized information management tool. There are multiple benefits of

a centralized system, including:

• Accessibility by multiple sites via the web

• Centralized control by a single administrator

• Elimination of “multiple copies or versions” of proposals, plans, etc.

• Record of decision-making process

• Automated features, such as an email notification system

• Summary statistics on vessel use and automated reporting

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VPM USER MANUAL

The Vessel Project Manager was designed to be very user friendly and self-explanatory. The

following guide is meant to help the new user navigate through the web-based options. As is

true with many new tools, there are likely areas that can be improved, and the SIMoN team

welcomes your input. Please send input to Lorraine Anglin, Marine Operations Coordinator at

lorraine.anglin@noaa.gov

Step 1: Accessing VPM

The URL is:

http://sanctuarymonitoring.org/vpt/index.php

If you are already a registered user (i.e. you have already created a username—which is your

email address—and password), then enter them and click on the Login button.

If you are a first-time user, you must register before accessing VPM. Click on the “click here”

link to register. Proceed to Step 2.

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Step 2: Registering with VPM

First-time users must register with VPM. If you did not navigate to this window from the Login

page, you can access the window using this URL:

http://sanctuarymonitoring.org/vpt/register.php

Please enter your first name and last name.

Provide an email address that you use often, since VPM will use this email to contact you on the

status of your project, notify you of changes, etc.

Create your own unique password.

List your affiliation (e.g., Stanford University, California Department of Fish and Game, NOAA

Fisheries).

Upon completing each of the five fields, click on the Register button. You will then be returned

to the Login page.

You are now back at Step 1. Enter your username and password to access VPM.

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Step 3: Main menu of VPM

Welcome to the Main Menu of VPM.

If you are a new user, you will not have any new or accepted proposals. To add a new project

proposal, click on the “Add New Proposal” button.

If you already entered a project proposal, you may select it and edit content.

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Step 4: Proposal Overview Information

This window has multiple data entry fields. Each is described below.

1. Project Title: A concise title is preferred since it will be used throughout the database.

2. Does this project require multiple trips per year? If you plan on having more than one cruise,

answer yes. If you have only one cruise (either a single day or multiple continuous days),

answer no.

3. Does this project span multiple years? If this is a proposal you plan to submit in future years,

or if has already been supported by the Fulmar in the past, answer yes. Otherwise answer no.

4. How many vessel hours per day are required for this project? Indicate the amount of time

from boarding the ship to leaving, including transfer of equipment, testing, etc.

5. How many total days are you requesting for this project? This is the number of days in terms

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of mobilization, project execution, and demobilization.

6. Does this project require SCUBA diving operations? If there is SCUBA or skin diving,

answer yes. Otherwise answer no.

7. Describe any matching resources available for this project (monetary or equipment)? Briefly

list any funding, personnel, services or equipment that can be considered match, and an overall

estimate of monetary value (as appropriate).

8. Describe the purpose of this project. This should be a synopsis of the project and how the

project addresses CB/GF/MBNMS’ mission and/or benefits program areas (e.g., research,

education, outreach, resource protection, maritime heritage, etc.).

9. Describe any risks associated with this project: describe all dangerous procedures, equipment,

chemicals, etc. that require additional safeguards or planning.

10. How many personnel will be required for this project? Provide a number.

11. Describe the personnel you will be providing for this project: This is a list of the people

coming aboard throughout the extent of the project. Where possible, provide a name, affiliation,

and task. For example:

John Doe, MBNMS, marine mammal observer

Sarah Jones, Marine Mammal center, marine mammal observer

or

6 seabird observers, UC Santa Cruz

12. Describe the personnel you will be requesting from NMSP for this project: besides the

captain and mate, do you need other NOAA personnel? Diving projects require a NOAA-trained

dive master.

13. Describe the equipment you will be providing for this project: include equipment type, size

(dimensions), weight (lbs), power needs, and notes or comments.

14. Describe the equipment you will be requesting from NMSP for this project: see the Fulmar

specifications for the types of equipment available at:

http://www.mbnms-simon.org/other/moreLinks/fulmar.php

15. Describe the post-cruise analysis timeline for this project: indicate when data analysis will be

complete and when deliverables, including a final technical report, will be provided to NOAA.

16. Describe the expected products from data collected on this project: in addition to a technical

report, list all products (e.g., maps, databases, GIS layers, DVDs) you plan to provide to NOAA.

17. Describe the procedures and methods to be used on this project: provide enough information

for an external review panel to evaluate the feasibility of the project and its scientific merits.

Step 5: New project proposal—Entering requested dates

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At the bottom of the window is a date entry form. Select the month, day, and year for the start of

a cruise (i.e. “Date from”) and then enter the month, day, and year for the end of that same cruise

(i.e. “Date to”).

If you are requesting multiple cruises, then enter the start and end dates for each cruise. Repeat

the process until all non-contiguous cruise dates have been added. Each time you add a new

cruise it will appear in the upper text field. You will also have the ability to edit or delete the

requested cruise dates.

Once all of the cruise dates have been entered, click on the Next button.

In the example above, there are six requested cruise dates. The first and last entries are for a

single day cruise (e.g., January 15, 2008 and November 12, 2008). The second and third entries

are for two consecutive days each (e.g., June 16-17, 2008 and July 14-15, 2008). The fourth and

fifth entries are for three consecutive days each (e.g., August 11-13, 2008 and September 15-17,

2008).

Step 6: New project proposal—Entering study locations

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At the bottom of the window is a location entry form. Enter the location name (required),

location type (e.g., a trackline, an area, or a specific point), the latitude and longitude (decimal

degrees), location activity (e.g., study site, crew/equipment transfer, anchorage) and any notes or

comments.

If you are planning to visit multiple locations, then enter information for each location. Repeat

the process until all locations have been added. Each time you add a new location it will appear

in the upper text field. You will also have the ability to edit or delete each location.

The location information is NOT limited to study sites. It is very important to include where you

plan to mobilize and demobilize and whether there are any planned transfers of personnel or

equipment during the cruise.

Once all of the locations have been entered, click on the Next button.

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Step 7: New project proposal—Supporting documents

At the bottom of the window is a supporting documents entry form. Add any supporting

documents for your proposal. These can include maps of study sites, photos of equipment,

related publications, etc. Each file should be <1 MB.

Repeat the process until all supporting documents have been added. Each time you add a new

supporting document it will appear in the upper text field. You will also have the ability to edit

or delete each supporting document.

Once all of the supporting documents have been entered, click on the Next button.

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Step 8: New project proposal— Summary and Review

All the information you submitted is presented here for you to review. You can edit any of the

fields by clicking on the “Edit” button.

Once you are satisfied with your responses, click on the “Submit Proposal for Review” button.

After clicking on this button, you will no longer be able to change your proposal.

Your proposal will now be available to the project Review Panel.